Here is my first foray into the Nepalese food I spoke of last week. I'm sure I didn't get it exactly right, but it sure is tasty. I highly recommend venturing into new flavors and spice combinations. The first thing you'll probably need to do is find the spices. I recommend going to your local international market and looking in the sections that have spices in bags rather than bottles as it's a much less expensive way to go.
You'll need Fenugreek (methi in Indian markets), coriander seeds, cumin seeds, whole cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom seeds, nutmeg.
In a grinder or spice mill (or mortar and pestal if it's all you have). Add two tablespoons of coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds and 1 tsp whole cloves. Grind them until you have a powder. To that powder add 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon turmeric and one teaspoons of ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best as who knows how long the ground has been in your pantry). This is your spice blend.
LENTILS:
1 cup lentils (I used yellow) rinsed
4 cups Roasted Vegetable Stock
1 onion chopped
1/3 cup freshly chopped garlic
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and chopped
Sea salt to taste
Heat the pan you're going to use for the dish for about a minute. When it's hot, add the onion and keep it moving around for about a minute while it browns. When it's brown, add the garlic and when you start to smell the garlic, about 30 seconds, add the RVS Add the ginger and lentils a cook for about 30 minutes after they boil. Check that the lentils are soft and salt to taste.
TOMATO CHUTNEY:
4 large tomatoes (I cut the core out and roasted them in the oven, but this step is optional) After roasting I chopped the tomatoes
2 medium onions sliced
1/2 cup freshly chopped garlic (the reason I stress freshly chopped is that 1/2 cup of the already chopped bottled garlic is a whole different ball game, so buy the already peeled and chop your own)
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of your ground spice mix
2-3 cups RVS
3 Serrano chilies sliced (less if you can't handle the heat)
Sea Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Heat the pan you're going to use for the dish for about a minute. When it's hot, add the onion and keep them moving around until brown. When the onions are ready, add the garlic and the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and saute them for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and begin to cook the liquids out of them. As everything cooks together, add 2 cups of the stock, the ground spice mix and the Serrano chilies. You can use added stock if you need to. Add the chopped cilantro before serving.
GREENS:
2 bunches of mustard greens (cut the stock of them up into 1 inch pieces and use the rest whole)
5 cups raw spinach
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1/4 cup RVS
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
In a large pre-heated skillet, add the fenugreek seeds. Keep them moving in the pan so they don't burn. After about 30 seconds pour in the Stock and begin adding the greens. Turn the greens so that the seeds will be mixed in evenly. Keep turning the greens until they begin to wilt, then cover them for about 45 seconds. Remove the lid and cook out the excess liquid and add salt to taste.
Serve over brown rice. Put the rice on the plate, add the lentils and some of the juice, top with chutney and serve the greens on the side.
